From the TBR shelf

Reading is my favorite hobby, especially now that Tank is no longer with me. I never have a shortage of titles to choose from—my physical TBR shelf is overflowing, and I have more than 300 books on my library For Later shelf. Summer is a great time for me to escape into other worlds, because in Florida, summer is the worst time to be outside. 

For just about as long as this blog has been in existence, I’ve been compiling lists of books to read over the summer. This year is no different. Despite the fact that “summer” here stretches from May to November, for the purposes of this list, at the time of this writing, these are the books I plan to reach for during the next three+ months. I won’t read all of them, but I do hope to get to many of them. Not in a pressure-filled way, but in a “I love to read, and it’s too hot/humid/stormy to be outside, so why not pick up a book?” way.

How I choose books for the summer reading list

I have a very complicated spreadsheet and I read a lot of reviews and…

Haha, nope.

My process is very simple. It starts with:

What do I feel like reading? Summer is a time to follow my whims. Sometimes, my whims include a long book (Stephen King’s The Stand, and last summer’s Kristin Lavransdattar), and I used to include a classic, a comfort reread, and a writer’s biography on my summer reading list. 

I also consider my word (or words) of the year. Are there any books that fit in with my theme? In 2026, my words are mend and tend. What books sound like they enhance my mend and tend theme? While no books on this list specifically fit with that theme, the idea of spending more time reading does. 

I read any “summer reading lists” that come to my attention. I always review Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Minimalist Summer Reading Guide, and sometimes I’ll come across one or two other lists of book recs for summer to draw from. 

The problem with Modern Mrs. Darcy’s list is the books are often new and they are still on order at the library or the waiting list is long enough that I won’t get my turn until summer is over. (Despite my ever-growing TBR shelf, I don’t buy every book I want to read.) There were several books on MMD’s list by authors I’ve read and enjoyed before, including:                                                                                  

The One Day You Were My Husband, Rosie Walsh 

Whistler, Ann Patchett 

Dolly All the Time, Anabel Monaghan (Nora Goes Off Script is a favorite from a few years ago)

I’ll put these three on hold and see if they come in before summer’s end.

In the meantime, I’ll start with the books already waiting for me at the library:

Goldenrod, Maggie Smith. “A stunning poetry collection that celebrates the beauty and messiness of life.” 

The House of Hidden Letters, Izzy Broom. Described as “sweeping, escapist, and full of heart,” it sounds perfect for a summer read. 

Kate & Frida, Kim Fay—“A novel of Friendship, Food, and Books” by the author of Love & Saffron, which I loved.

Memorial Days, Geraldine Brooks. I’m already listening to the audiobook, read by the author.

What about that TBR shelf?

I’m so glad you asked. I’ve been plugging slowly away at my shelves of purchased-but-not-yet-read books. (I’d make more progress if I’d stop buying books, but that’s apparently not going to happen.) Here are a few I’d like to read this summer:

As part of my reintroduction to and re-immersion in art, I bought several drawing books. I want to read (and practice my way through) You Can Draw in 30 Days, by Mark Kistler. as well as 50 Ways to Draw Your Beautiful, Ordinary Life, by Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst, and Keys to Drawing, by Bert Dodson. 

The Story She Left Behind, Patti Callahan Henry. A friend and I went to see Henry speak at a local bookstore and we left with autographed copies of this book and a pact to read it together over the summer. 

Other possibilities:

Traveling While Married, Mary-Lou Weisman

Daisy Miller and/or Washington Square, Henry James.

The Generous Exchange, Maria Sirois. 

The Unexpected Education of Emily Dean, Mira Robertson. 

Creative Visualization for Writers, Nina Amir. 

That’s a pretty ambitious list. I read quickly, but I’m going to try to slow down and savor whichever book I choose to immerse myself in. What a privilege to have this many choices, and free time available to play. 

What are you going to read this summer?